Indian tennis great Sania Mirza, in an exclusive interview to India Today television, reveals more about her relationship with Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik.

HIGHLIGHTS

Sania revealed she had written a chapter on husband Shoaib in her autobiography

It took a lot for me to come up with a chapter my relationship with Shoaib Malik in my autobiography: Sania

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik's love story has all the elements that can make a Bollywood blockbuster. 'Love thy neighbour' is what the sports stars, who have been the much-talked about cross-border pair, believed in.

Sania and Shoaib entered into wedlock in 2010 at a time when the relations between the two neighbouring countries were strained after the Mumbai blasts of 2008. Despite criticism, the two have gone from strength to strength in their relationship. (Also read: After SRK, Salman launches Sania autobiography in Mumbai)

In fact, Malik revealed that his wife Sania had helped him compete hard and inspired him. He credited his wife Sania for changing his approach to training.

"After watching her win titles even after battling with fitness issues I was also inspired to match her feats as a professional sportsman. It is a healthy competition between husband and wife who are professional athletes," Malik said before retiring from Test cricket on a high in 2015. (Also read: Don't have many close friends: Sania Mirza to India Today)

Over the years, both Sania and Shoaib have successfully managed to keep compelling information about their relationship under wraps.

However, in a recent interview with India Today television, Sania, who launched her autobiography last week in Hyderabad, divulges more detail about how her relatives reacted to her relationship with the Pakistan cricketer.

I have tried to talk about Shoaib and I met in my autobiography: Sania

I have not gone into too much detail about how others misunderstood certain things about our relationship in my book: Sania

I am a private person. It took a lot for me to come up with a chapter my relationship with Shoaib Malik in my autobiography: Sania

Shoaib and I have been brought up in such a way were our parents say don't judge people according to their race, colour or nationality: Sania

As a sportsperson I take pride in that because I feel most sports person feel the same way. Malik was also in the same position and felt the same the same way: Sania

The discussions were never about 'Why did you fall in love with a Pakistani?' It was rather about 'Do you think it is a smart move?': Sania

Unfortunately at that time the cross-border relationships were an issue: Sania

As a family or even our extended family, we take great pride on the fact that we don't separate anybody on the basis of their nationality, race or colour: Sania

Have always called my relationship with the media a love-hate relationship. It's because we both can't live without each other: Sania

And, it's almost like marriage of a different kind. We both have seen our best as well as our worst: Sania

When it comes to the things that matter to me the most, I am very quiet about it: Sania

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